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Two victories by Liam Pitchford had been in useless as opponents Hungary despatched them tumbling out of the European staff Championships.
Pitchford twice pulled England stage as they battled to make it by means of to the quarter-finals, however Paul Drinkhall was crushed within the deciding recreation of the deciding match.
Drinkhall led out towards Adam Szudi, at present ranked at 275 however who had flirted with the highest 100 a few years in the past.
The Hungarian began quick with an 11-5 opening recreation, and he saved in entrance, taking a 3rd recreation level to win the second 12-10 after which accomplished victory with an 11-9 third recreation.
Pitchford additionally went a recreation behind towards world No 115 Bence Majoros, however as soon as he had levelled he turned up the ability and put England stage with an authoritative efficiency.
Tom Jarvis saved up the sample of dropping the opening recreation when he took on Tamas Lakatos (WR 321), and his opponent then added the second. They’d each been shut, so it was no shock when Jarvis obtained on the board within the third, however he couldn’t flip the match round as Lakatos gained the fourth.
The sample of England going a recreation down continued as Pitchford misplaced his opener towards Szudi to 9, however as soon as once more it was a precursor to the England man blasting again with three in a row and at occasions going into ‘steamroller mode’ and leaving his opponent with few solutions.
And so it got here all the way down to Drinkhall versus Majoros to resolve the match and who would go ahead to the quarter-finals to face Austria or Sweden.
The omens seemed good when Drinkhall broke the sample of dropping first video games, however Majoros got here again to guide 2-1.
Drinkhall was not finished although and gained the fourth 11-5 to take the match all the way down to the decider – and it was Majoros who constructed a lead, culminating in 5 match factors. Drinkhall saved two, however might don’t extra as England exited.
Outcomes
Spherical of 16
Hungary 3 England 2
Adam Szudi bt Paul Drinkhall 3-0 (11-5, 12-10, 11-9)
Liam Pitchford bt Bence Majoros 3-1 (9/11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-4)
Tamas Lakatos bt Tom Jarvis 3-1 (11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9)
Pitchford bt Szudi 3-1 (9/11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6)
Majoros bt Drinkhall 3-2 (9/11, 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7)
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